1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photocatalyst apparatus using a plurality of photocatalytic optical fibers which include a photocatalyst material, a method of manufacture thereof and a photocatalyst reactor using the photocatalyst apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known that a photocatalyst (i.e. photocatalytic material) is made of photo-activating or photo-catalyzing semiconductor typically Titanium Dioxide (TiO2). The photocatalyst is activated by irradiation of light including relatively short wavelength such as ultraviolet (UV) light, purple or blue visible light.
The photocatalyst oxidizes and/or reduces contaminants (i.e. pollutants) so as to decompose (i.e. dissolve, resolve) the contaminants by a photo-catalyzing reaction or effect.
The photocatalyst is capable of applying to various fields by utilizing the photo-catalyzing reaction of the photocatalyst. That is, these fields are, for example, a cleaning to delete dirty components from a surface of articles, a dirt protection to prevent the surface from fixing or attaching or sticking a dirty component, an infection, a deleting of offensive odor (i.e. bad smell), a purification of gas (e.g. air) or liquid (e.g. water), a processing of exhausting gas, a processing of waste liquid, a generation of Hydrogen and/or Oxygen from water, a speeding up of chemical reaction and a dissolving of contaminants to cause social pollution.
All the applications as mentioned above utilize the photocatalyst reaction or photocatalyst function by a strong oxidation and/or reduction power to show when the photocatalyst is activated by the light with relatively short wavelength. For example, as for the purification of the air or water, when the photocatalyst is irradiated by the light rays having comparatively short wavelength (e.g. ultraviolet light, purple or blue visible light), Oxygen (O2) existing in the air or dissolving in the water is activated by the photo-catalyzing reaction so that Ozone (O3) and/or activated Oxygen (O) generate.
The Ozone or the activated Oxygen decomposes contaminants or microorganism including in the air or water, such as mold (i.e. fungi), bacteria or organic chlorine compound by an oxidization reaction. Therefore, the air or water is sterilized (i.e. disinfected, removed from microorganisms,) purified (i.e. sanitized), deodorized or discolored.
Furthermore, when the photocatalyst is irradiated by the light rays with short wavelength, it accelerates to decompose (i.e. resolve) the water H2O to activated oxygen (O) and/or hydrogen (H2).
Moreover, the photocatalyst as a circumstance cleaning material contributes to decomposition of pollutants, which give a bad influence to a social circumstance.
The pollutants are for example a volatile organic solvent, a chemical agent for agriculture such as grass eliminating agent (i.e. insecticide), an organic phosphate and a deleterious inorganic chemical compound such as cyanide and a kind of chrome.
In case that multiple photocatalyst particles (i.e. photocatalyst particulates) are used directly for reaction of oxidation and/or reduction with any substance, it is so difficult that the photocatalyst particles are separated and collected and a device to utilize the photocatalyst particles becomes complicated and large.
While, in the case that multiple photocatalyst particles are used as a form of photocatalyst supported substrate in which a layer or film including the photocatalyst particles is fixed and supported on the substrate, a recycling or reuse of the photocatalyst particles can be easily carried out, because the separation and collection of the photocatalyst particles are not required.
As for the latter case using the photocatalyst supported substrate, it is disclosed, in the publication of Japanese patent application Laying-open No. H05-155726 published on Jun. 22, 1993, (Japanese Patent No. 2883761 issued on Apr. 9, 1999), that a Titanium Dioxide layer (i.e. film) is formed on a substrate made of a heat resistance material such as metal, ceramic or glass in such a manner that Titania sol. is first coated on a surface of the substrate and then the Titania sol. is fired (i.e. baked) to produce the Titanium Dioxide layer on the surface. Thereby, the surface of the substrate is prevented from growth (i.e. proliferation) of bacteria.
It is an object of the present invention to propose an enhanced photocatalyst apparatus utilizing photocatalytic optical fibers.
It is another object of the present invention to propose an enhanced photocatalyst reactor utilizing the photocatalyst apparatus utilizing photocatalytic optical fibers.
It is a still another object of the present invention to propose a method for manufacturing or fabricating the photocatalyst apparatus utilizing photocatalytic optical fibers.
The entire disclosure of my U.S. patent applications: Ser. No. 09/644,418 filed on Aug. 21, 2000 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,501,893) and Ser. No. 09/146,915 filed on Sep. 2, 1998 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,476) are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Further, the entire disclosure of my Japanese Patent application No.2002-143727 filed May 17, 2002 (Japanese Patent application Laid-open No. 2003-334422 published on Nov. 25, 2003), which is the prior foreign application of the present U.S. Patent application and Japanese Patent application No.H08-80434 filed on Feb. 27, 1996 (Japanese Patent application Laid-open No. 09-225295 published on Sep. 2, 1997), which is the prior foreign application of the U.S. patent applications, Ser. No. 09/644,418 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,501,893) and Ser. No. 09/146,915 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,476) are also hereby incorporated herein by reference.
In an aspect of the present invention, a photocatalyst apparatus comprises: a plurality of photocatalytic optical fibers, each photocatalytic optical fiber having a core and a photocatalytic clad including a photocatalyst; and a substrate having at least one surface, wherein the photocatalytic optical fibers are disposed on the substrate to project from the surface.
The photocatalytic optical fibers may project in a substantially perpendicular direction and/or project substantially parallel to one another.
The core may comprise a solid core composed of a substantially transparent material or a hollow core composed of a substantially transparent tubular member having a hollow space therethrough.
The substrate may comprise a substantially rectangular panel composed of a solid body or a substantially rectangular panel composed of a hollow structure having a pair of substantially rectangular plates and a substantially rectangular hollow space therebetween. The substrate may comprise a solid or hollow light guide. The substrate may comprise a column-like solid body or a column-like hollow structure having a substantially transparent tubular member and a space therethrough. The substrate further may comprise at least one opening to pass through a thickness thereof. The substrate further comprise at least one opening to pass through a thickness thereof, wherein the opening may be composed of a dot and/or linear shape. The substrate may be composed of a substantially, uniform thickness. The substrate may be composed of a substantially variable thickness having e.g. such as a taper-like shape. The substrate may be an existing article, installation or facility and the photocatalytic optical fibers are attached to/on the at least one surface by an electrostatic process at a site where the existing article, installation or facility is located. The substrate may comprise a filter device composed of a filter medium having a thickness and a plurality of through holes to pass therethrough. The substrate may comprise a filter device composed of a filter medium having a thickness and a plurality of through holes to pass therethrough, wherein the filter medium contains an adsorbent and/or a photocatalyst therein/thereon.
The photocatalyst apparatus may further comprise an adhesive for adhering the photocatalytic optical fibers to/on the at least one surface, the adhesive being disposed entirely or partially on the at least one surface to form at least one adhesive film. The adhesive may be composed of a thermosetting, photo-setting or thermoplastic resin and a combination thereof. The adhesive may be disposed entirely or partially on the at least one surface to form at least one adhesive film and a photocatalyst disposed entirely or partially on/in the at least one adhesive film.
The photocatalytic optical fibers may be attached to/on the at least one surface preferably by an electrostatic process.
Each of the photocatalytic optical fibers further may comprise a light collector disposed on a free end thereof. The light collector may be composed of a condenser lens having a substantially spherical or funnel-like body.
Each of the photocatalytic optical fibers further may comprise a photocatalyst disposed on a free end of the core as well as the photocatalytic clad disposed on a surface of the core.
The photocatalyst apparatus may further comprise at least one substantially transparent electric conductor film disposed on the at least one surface.
The photocatalyst apparatus may further comprise a light reflector film disposed selectively on a first area/areas of the at least one surface, except a second area/areas where the photocatalytic optical fibers are attached to/on the at least one surface.
In another aspect of the present invention, a photocatalyst apparatus comprises: a plurality of photocatalytic optical fibers, each photocatalytic optical fiber having a core and a photocatalytic clad including a photocatalyst; and a substrate having at least one surface, wherein the photocatalytic optical fibers are disposed on the substrate to project from the at least one surface, and light-redirecting or light-diffusing means for redirecting or diffusing light transmitted in the substrate.
The light-redirecting means may comprise a plurality of projections, grooves or prisms disposed in/on the at least one surface. The light-redirecting means may comprise a light-redirecting film including a plurality of light diffusing particles disposed in/on the at least one surface. The light-redirecting means may comprise a plurality of light diffusing particles disposed in an interior of the substrate. The light-redirecting means form a gradation pattern so as to produce a substantially uniform brightness of light to irradiate uniformly most of the photocatalytic optical fibers. The light-redirecting means may form a gradation pattern so as to produce a substantially uniform brightness of light to irradiate uniformly most of the photocatalytic optical fibers and wherein the gradation pattern is selected from the gradation patterns with variable distribution density consisting of grooves on the at least one surface, projections on the at least one surface, prisms on the at least one surface, light-redirecting film on the at least one surface and light-diffusing particles in an interior of the substrate. The light-redirecting means may form a gradation pattern so as to produce a substantially uniform brightness of light to irradiate uniformly most of the photocatalytic optical fibers and wherein the gradation pattern may be selected from the gradation patterns with variable quantity, width or height consisting of grooves on the at least one surface, projections on the at least one surface, prisms on the at least one surface, light-redirecting film on the at least one surface and light-diffusing particles in an interior of the substrate.
In a still another aspect of the present invention, a photocatalyst reactor comprises: a photocatalyst apparatus comprising (1) a plurality of photocatalytic optical fibers, each photocatalytic optical fiber having a core and a photocatalytic clad including a photocatalyst and (2) a substrate having at least one surface, wherein the photocatalytic optical fibers are disposed on the substrate to project from the surface; and a light source in communication with the photocatalytic optical fibers. The photocatalytic optical fibers may receive light from the light source or ambient light passed through the substrate or wherein the photocatalytic optical fibers receive the light or the ambient light directly without passing through the substrate.
The photocatalyst reactor may further comprise at least one light delivering optical fiber without a photocatalyst for delivering light from the light source toward the substrate and/or the photocatalytic optical fibers.
The substrate may further comprise a substantially transparent material to act as a light guide having at least one side or end and/or at least one peripheral portion of the at least one surface to introduce light from the light source into the substrate therefrom, wherein the photocatalytic optical fibers receive light leaked or output from the at least one surface of the surface.
The photocatalyst reactor may further comprise: the substrate composed of a substantially transparent material to act as a light guide having at least one side or end and/or at least one peripheral portion of the at least one surface; at least one prism disposed on or adjacent to at least one portion of at least one surface or disposed on or adjacent to the at least one side or end and/or the at least one peripheral portion of the at least one surface to receive light from the light source; and wherein light is introduced into the substrate through the at least one prism and the photocatalytic optical fibers receive light leaked or output from the at least one surface of the surface.
The photocatalyst reactor may further comprise an automatic light control device having a brightness control device and a photo-sensor, wherein the brightness control device controls a brightness of the light source in response to an ambient light detected by the photo-sensor.
The photocatalyst reactor may further comprise: a substantially transparent adhesive film to act as a light guide having at least one surface and/or or at least one side or end, wherein the adhesive film is disposed on the substrate to attach the photocatalytic optical fibers thereto/thereon and wherein the light source is disposed at least one position relative to the at least one surface and/or or the at least one side or end to receive light from the light source and to introduce light into the adhesive film.
Each of the photocatalytic optical fibers may receive light from the light source at a fixed end thereof and/or at a free end thereof and/or receive light directly at the photocatalytic clad.
The photocatalyst reactor may further comprise: a light-diffusing or leaky light-guide means having a solid or hollow light guide, wherein the light source disposed at least one position relative to the light-diffusing or leaky light-guide means and the photocatalyst apparatus receives light via the light-diffusing or leaky light-guide means to irradiate the photocatalytic optical fibers. The photocatalyst reactor may further comprising: a light-diffusing or leaky light-guide means composed of a substantially rectangular panel having a solid body or composed of a substantially rectangular panel having a hollow structure with a pair of substantially rectangular plates and a substantially rectangular hollow space therebetween, wherein the light source disposed at least one position relative to the light-diffusing or leaky light-guide means and the photocatalyst apparatus receives light via the light-diffusing or leaky light-guide means to irradiate the photocatalytic optical fibers.
The photocatalyst reactor may further comprise: a housing to enclose the one or more photocatalyst apparatus having a space to enclose the photocatalyst apparatus, an inlet to introduce a fluid thereto and an outlet to discharge the fluid therefrom. The photocatalyst reactor may further comprise: a housing to enclose the one or more photocatalyst apparatus having a space to enclose the photocatalyst apparatus, an inlet to introduce a fluid thereto and an outlet to discharge the fluid therefrom, wherein the photocatalyst apparatus is disposed at one or more position where fluid flows across a length of the photocatalytic optical fibers, or wherein the photocatalyst apparatus is disposed at one or more position where fluid flows along a length of the photocatalytic optical fibers.
In further aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a photocatalyst apparatus comprises the steps of: a first step of preparing (a) a plurality of optical fibers, each optical fiber having a core and (b) a substrate having at least one surface; and a second step of attaching the optical fibers to/on the at least one surface by an electrostatic process, wherein the optical fibers are projected from the at least one surface, wherein a photocatalytic clad is disposed on the core to form a photocatalytic optical fiber before the first step or after the second step. In the method, an adhesive may be disposed entirely or partially on the at least one surface after the first step so as to adhere the photocatalytic optical fibers thereto/thereon. In the method, an adhesive may be disposed entirely or partially on the at least one surface after the first step so as to adhere the photocatalytic optical fibers thereto/thereon and the adhesive is made of thermosetting, photo-setting or thermoplastic resin or plastic.